Texas State got caught off guard.
The Bobcats (16-7, 8-1 Sun Belt) were on a 16-set win streak, including a dominant 25-7 victory in the opening frame against South Alabama (15-7, 6-2) inside Strahan Arena on Saturday. But as the teams entered into the second round, the Jaguars showed more fight.
The visitors took a 12-10 lead to begin the set and never let the hosts back in front. South Alabama extended it to 22-18 before taking the final kills to win 25-22.
“We always say that if we're beating a team and then they push back, you always have to go to another level,” middle blocker Jillian Slaughter said. “So I think tonight showed it. They came back the second game but we went to another level and it really helped.”
Texas State reached the next level, taking the final two sets to win the match, 3-1 (25-7, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18), extending its winning streak to six.
“I'm extremely excited about how we performed and the kids got to remember that's what it's going to take to win this conference,” head coach Karen Chisum said. “And then I will say this, hats off to USA. They picked it up, started playing a little bit better. We started making some errors, lost a little bit of intensity.”
Sophomore outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald led the team with 18 kills, followed by outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey with 17, junior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott with 12 and Slaughter with nine. Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt dished 49 assists.
Senior defensive specialist Micah Dinwiddie finished the night with a team-high 13 digs. The mark pushed her to 1,652 in her career, the most by any Bobcat in school history.
“She’s been instrumental for four years with us,” Chisum said. “You know, it was tough this year when she kind of lost the libero jersey to (junior) Brooke Johnson, but I’ve been so proud of her. She’s just kept working. She hasn't pouted, she hasn't felt sorry for her, so she gets it. She is a leader out there on the court, I will tell you that. But great job for Micah.”
Texas State will travel to the east coast this weekend to take the conference’s first-place team in Coastal Carolina (18-2, 8-0) on Friday at 5:30 p.m in Conway, South Carolina. The Bobcats will also face off with Appalachian State (9-12, 5-3) on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Boone, North Carolina.
Chisum said the team will prepare for Friday’s game as if it were for the league title. Slaughter said the players want to keep their streak going.
“I think just winning helps the motivation,” Slaughter said. “Like why would you ever want to go back to losing? I don't know, having all these sweeps and then tonight, not being able to get that second set, I think it kind of put us in check a little. Like, ‘OK, this can't happen every game. We actually have to go now and push to another level.’”
